Preparing for human spaceflight to the Moon 2020-2030.

Spaceflight is a key asset for Europe, providing essential information needed by decision-makers to respond to global challenges (ESA, 2016). ISECG (The International Space Exploration Coordination Group) - constituting several space agencies - has created a Global Exploration Roadmap. The roadmap describes strategic goals and objectives of mission themes covering the decade 2020 – 2030. Sustainable exploration of the Moon is an approach for Europe integrated in the ESA Space Exploration Strategy. This paper focuses on the human element in relation to technological and cultural aspects. ESA (the European Space Agency) has been actively involved in spaceflight since 1975. For the next decades, the Moon is the main target for strategic European space exploration. The purpose of this paper is to pinpoint operator aspects related to human-robotic strategies and multilateral cooperation. Human space flight comprises potential catastrophes as loss of life, system or launch site facilities. Unexpected episodes may result in critical incidents or catastrophes. Extremely unexpected situations may bring out all limitations of any previous training, showing the limits of operators and mission control abilities to cope. The paper addresses both human error and prevention, as well as how one can depend on humans to create safety in future lunar explorations. We pinpoint knowledge gaps and operator aspects related to human teamwork and multilateral cooperation. Semiotic theory illustrate communication, misunderstandings and human behaviour (Trevesani 1990). Well-managed communication may lead to effective problem solving, while bad communication may generate misunderstanding leading to risks and dangers. We present potential contributions of semiotic theory for analysing the communication process. We illustrate how lessons learned, future scenarios and science may be used in preparation for future lunar expeditions. Space explorations and scientific research groups are becoming more and more international including people from several nations with different history, language, age, values and beliefs. In future human spaceflight unexpected or unpredictable behaviours and messages will occur. Further, extremely unexpected situations may bring out all limitations of any previous training, showing the limits of operators and mission control. Two cases are presented. One case is lessons learned from a spacewalk 2013 outside the ISS. Here the astronaut nearly drowned in his helmet (NASA 2013). The European Commission funds the other case, the MOONWALK project. The project uses a method developed by an ESA project (Stene et al, 2016). It illustrates how scenario analysis, checklists and significant stakeholders may contribute to prepare for future human spaceflight scenarios.